September 16, 2026 Express Entry Draw: 250 Senior Manager Invitations, CRS 389
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued 250 Invitations to Apply on September 16, 2026. This invitation round targeted the Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience category with a Comprehensive Ranking System score of 389.
Latest round details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date and time | September 16, 2026 at 12:44:28 UTC |
| Round type | Category-based: Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience |
| Invitations issued | 250 |
| Lowest-ranked CRS score | 389 |
| Rank required | 250 or above |
| Tie-breaking rule | September 1, 2026 at 23:05:13 UTC |
The CRS score distribution of candidates in the pool is current as of September 13, 2026.
What a category-based round is
Express Entry runs three round types: general rounds, program-specific rounds, and category-based rounds.
In a category-based round, the Minister sets a category to meet a specific economic goal. Only candidates who meet that category criterion and qualify for one of the three Express Entry programs receive an invitation.
Who the Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience category is for
This selection round belongs to a new category (2026, Version 1). It invites candidates who hold Canadian work experience in senior management occupations.
Why the CRS cut-off is 389
Category-based rounds select candidates from a narrow pool. Because the candidate pool is smaller, IRCC reaches lower CRS levels to fill its invitation target.
For comparison, the Canadian Experience Class round on September 15, 2026 required a cut-off score of 519. That score is 130 points higher than this category cut-off.
What the tie-breaking rule means
The tie-breaking rule resolves ties among candidates with a 389 score. IRCC uses the profile submission timestamp to rank these profiles.
Candidates who submitted their profile before September 1, 2026 at 23:05:13 UTC received an invitation. Those who submitted after that timestamp did not.
What happens next for invited candidates
The 250 invited candidates received an Invitation to Apply (ITA). They now have a limited window to submit a complete permanent residence application to IRCC.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Readers should consult a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer about their own specific situation.
Continue Reading
Stay informed
Get our immigration updates first on Google
Add SEP Immigration as a preferred source and our latest news and guides appear more often in your Google results.